It may take a long time to translate this "very fundamental research" into practical applications, Lee says. The work could possibly lead to advances in data storage or communications, he says - perhaps using an exotic quantum phenomenon called long-range entanglement, in which two widely separated particles can instantaneously influence each other's states. The findings could also bear on research into high-temperature superconductors, and could ultimately lead to new developments in that field, he says.

Wait till the US military gets a hold of it and decides we better use it before some other military does.

/Yes, the mad bomber of Tokyo General Curtis LeMay wanted to do a nuclear first strike against Cuba and the USSR during the missile crisis. He figured it would be better to use them first and survive then to use them during our funeral service. He bombed 65 Japanese cities and killed close to 400,000 people. Who knows how many lives he saved by firebombing instead of invading

I've known about quantum spin liquid for years. Whiskey, enough of it and you could watch Ted Kennedy hold multiple positions on a topic until sufficient cash was on the table to fix his quantum state.

treesloth:Article was very sparse on the details. Have they or have they not built a working (1) ansible or (2) lightsaber?

The proper quantum response would be both yes and no to both 1 and 2 at the same time.On a slightly more serious note, this is clearly a step on the path towards working ansibles. Plasma sword design would seem to be another technology tree.